Bug#684881: linux-image-3.2.0-3-amd64: increasing hardware compatibility: enable firmware-less support for e100

[Bjørn Mork <bjorn@mork.no>]

Package: src:linux
Version: 3.2.21-3
Severity: wishlist
Tags: patch

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Hello kernel team!

I understand you plan at least one more kernel version
before wheezy.

Please consider backporting

 8b0d2f9 net: e100: ucode is optional in some cases

currently in v3.6-rc1, to the wheezy and installer
kernels.  It applies cleanly on top of v3.2.27.

The patch improves hardware support by allowing the driver
to work (in a non-accellerated mode) without firmware on a
number of older Intel ethernet chips, often present in older
laptops and desktops. This is even more important for the
installer, where it allows the user to complete the
installation process from default Debian media without
providing the firmware on separate media.

I created the patch after a frustrating experience trying
to get an installer snapshot running on and old laptop.
First being able to PXE boot and then told that the ethernet
card needs firmware to continue the installation is not a
pleasant user experience...

The driver will still log the firmware request as usual,
allowing the user to choose to download and install the
nonfree firmware after installation.  Being able to do
this over the network interface is IMHO a great improvement
compared to preparing a USB stick or floppy.



Bjørn

- -- Package-specific info:
** Kernel log: boot messages should be attached


- -- System Information:
Debian Release: wheezy/sid
  APT prefers testing
  APT policy: (990, 'testing'), (600, 'unstable'), (1, 'experimental')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Foreign Architectures: i386

Kernel: Linux 3.5.0-next-20120726+ (SMP w/2 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash

Versions of packages linux-image-3.2.0-3-amd64 depends on:
ii  debconf [debconf-2.0]                   1.5.44
ii  initramfs-tools [linux-initramfs-tool]  0.107
ii  kmod                                    8-2
ii  linux-base                              3.5
ii  module-init-tools                       8-2

Versions of packages linux-image-3.2.0-3-amd64 suggests:
pn  debian-kernel-handbook  <none>
ii  extlinux                2:4.05+dfsg-6
pn  linux-doc-3.2           <none>

Versions of packages linux-image-3.2.0-3-amd64 is related to:
pn  firmware-atheros        <none>
pn  firmware-bnx2           <none>
pn  firmware-bnx2x          <none>
pn  firmware-brcm80211      <none>
pn  firmware-intelwimax     <none>
pn  firmware-ipw2x00        <none>
pn  firmware-ivtv           <none>
ii  firmware-iwlwifi        0.36
pn  firmware-libertas       <none>
pn  firmware-linux          <none>
pn  firmware-linux-nonfree  <none>
pn  firmware-myricom        <none>
pn  firmware-netxen         <none>
pn  firmware-qlogic         <none>
pn  firmware-ralink         <none>
pn  firmware-realtek        <none>
pn  xen-hypervisor          <none>

- -- debconf information:
  linux-image-3.2.0-3-amd64/postinst/depmod-error-initrd-3.2.0-3-amd64: false
  linux-image-3.2.0-3-amd64/prerm/removing-running-kernel-3.2.0-3-amd64: true
  linux-image-3.2.0-3-amd64/postinst/ignoring-ramdisk:
  linux-image-3.2.0-3-amd64/postinst/missing-firmware-3.2.0-3-amd64:

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